Page 75 of Reason to Believe (White Lace 2)

She looked like a nightmare come true. My own nightmare. One I no longer had to worry about…or so I had thought. Scott had made his threat perfectly clear the night of the retirement party. We were never safe. No one was ever safe. Escort or not. There were always going to be people who wanted to hurt others, and sometimes you drew the short end of the stick.

Sadie had drawn that stick tonight.

“Please talk to me.”

She didn’t even shake her head in response.

“All right.” I reached out, pulling up the blanket. When I squeezed her hand, she cringed, tensing up and pulling away immediately.

My friend was scared and in pain. And I didn’t know what I could do for her.

The nurse had come in to check on Sadie. It looked like she wouldn’t be discharged till the morning, which didn’t bother me. I had called in to work on Monday after the retirement party, and once again this morning, thinking that some distance would be the best for everyone. Marta had called me, but I didn’t answer. Eventually I would have to face her, and Colette, but not today.

When Sadie faded out again, I picked up my phone. Still no message from Ben. I didn’t blame him. No doubt he was pissed at me for leaving him high and dry.

He’d said so himself, he had issues with people not following through on their promises. I had promised I would be there for him, and with one glance at my cellphone, I’d hightailed it out of the classroom. But surely he had to give me a pass once he found out the circumstances? Although, I wasn’t sure I could tell him. This was Sadie’s nightmare. Her story to tell. And I would keep her secret.

I wanted to call him. I wanted to find out how the second talk had gone. I Googled some keywords, hoping that I might find a new video online. When I found one, my stomach clenched in nervousness. But after a minute of watching, I had no reason to be worried. He was amazing. Charming. Charismatic. Honest. He was Ben, and he’d done it all without me there. As it should be. He was a grown man who needed to figure out his own way in the world. Even if it was in porn. A small part of me had liked that he’d needed me to be there for him. But now a bigger part knew that he’d probably done so well in spite of me.

The nurse came to check on Sadie once again. After several hours of sitting here, my own coherence was waning. I needed to find some coffee. I gathered my phone and purse and put on my coat and placed a kiss on Sadie’s head.

Her tiny voice croaked behind me as I started to walk away. “Please don’t leave me alone.”

My heart seized. Sadie was the least fragile woman I’d ever met. The first time I laid eyes on her I was in awe, wowed at her brazenness, her confidence, her subtle manipulation and overt sexuality.

She had taught me everything I knew about being an escort. I couldn’t have survived it without her. I couldn’t have done it without her.

She had been there the first time I’d gone all the way with a client. She’d held my hand while I’d sobbed uncontrollably. She’d whispered words of encouragement, telling me about her own experiences to make everything seem better. She had been there for me when I’d needed her.

And there was no way I was leaving her now.

I turned and smiled, settling in my seat for the night, realizing that the red hair matted and frizzy against the pillow was the only fiery thing left of my friend right now.

The next morning Sadie was discharged and I drove us home. I settled her into bed and immediately called Everly. I wasn’t sure how to handle this. I couldn’t stop my body from shaking. Every little noise had me tensing in fear. Although I hadn’t been the one who’d been attacked, I couldn’t help but feel like it could have been me in that bed. It would have been so easy for it to be me in that hospital.

Instead I’d had someone to intervene on my behalf. I’d had someone on my side. It had been less than twenty-four hour

s since I’d last seen him at the front of the classroom waiting to give his talk, but I missed him. Not to mention, I’d put together a special night for us, even bought him a gift. I hoped I still had the opportunity to go through with my plans. If he ever wanted to talk to me again.

I had to try.

The next thing I did was call work. I’d left a voicemail for Colette, explaining that my friend had been injured and that I needed to take some time off to take care of her. Distance from work was my best friend right now. Distance was the only thing keeping me from learning the truth about my future at Elle Cosmetics. And I wasn’t quite ready to learn what that future held.

Sadie was not pleased when Everly showed up at our apartment that evening, but she was our friend. We’d lived together. If anyone was going to understand, it was her.

I drove north on the highway to Ben’s house, knowing that he’d be home, taking RR2 to the barely visible driveway on the right. The gray November sky did nothing to invite me up to the porch, but I went anyway. The hydrangeas along the front of the house were long since dead. I knocked, then rang the doorbell when I heard a little movement from inside.

Then the door swung open, and I knew immediately that my appearance was too little, too late.

Ben didn’t even say hello. He barely looked me in the eye. My heart was already broken for Sadie, but seeing the look in his eyes right now shattered those broken pieces. I knew my heart would never be the same again.

He was wearing nothing but black basketball shorts, his torso and feet bare, that tanned surfer skin making my mouth water.

“What are you doing here?” He didn’t look happy to see me, and his greeting confirmed it.

“I needed to see you, and…” A bitter wind whipped behind me and I shivered.

I watched his nipples tighten and gooseflesh break out across his skin. I wished my appearance had been the one to elicit that reaction.

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